Tiny Tales: Traditional Stories in 100 Words: Joseph

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183. The Prophet Joseph and the Birds

To test Joseph, his prophet, God turned the angel Gabriel into a hawk and Michael into a dove.

The hawk chased the dove, who landed on Joseph's shoulder. "Protect me!" she cried.

"I will protect you," said Joseph.

The hawk protested. "But I'm starving!"

Joseph felt the dove trembling with fear.

To resolve the dilemma, Joseph cut flesh from his own thigh, offering it to the hawk. "Eat this instead," he said.

The hawk ate and demanded more, and still more. Joseph complied.

Finally, the two birds flew away.

Pleased by Joseph's generosity of spirit, God healed his thigh completely.

[a Hausa story from northern Nigeria]

Inspired by: "The Hawk, The Dove, and The Prophet" in Hausa Reading Book by L. E. O. Charlton, 1908.
Notes: You can read the original story online. This is an extraordinary adaptation of a traditional legend from India, told both as a Buddhist jataka and also as a wisdom tale included in the Mahabahrata; read more about the King Shibi tradition at Wikipedia. A Muslim storyteller has adapted the tale, and it has ended up here as a Hausa story in Charlton's tetxbook.

(piqsels)

Here is King Shibi in an illustrated Mahabharata:

~ 5. The Sound of Joseph's Cup ~

Laura Gibbs · 5. The Sound of Joseph's Cup

During a famine, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt for relief.

Joseph received them, his face covered with a veil.

As they spoke, Joseph kept striking a cup which resounded mournfully.

Finally, Joseph's brothers could bear it no longer. "What is the meaning of this mournful sound?" they asked.

Joseph struck the cup. "The cup says you had a brother named Joseph."

Again. "It says you threw Joseph into a well."

Again. "You sold him into slavery."

Again. "You told your father his son was dead."

Joseph's brothers all wept and were afraid.

Now they were the ones in the well.

Inspired by: The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, translated by S. C. Nott
Notes: This is in section 31: Joseph and his Brethren.

~ 82. Rabia Instructs Hasan ~

Laura Gibbs · 82. Rabia Instructs Hasan

"If you are a true Lover of God," said Hasan, "you must be strong when the Beloved afflicts you."

"Say it better!" said Rabia.

"You must be thankful when the Beloved afflicts you."

"Say it even better!"

"You must rejoice when the Beloved afflicts you."

"No!" said Rabia. "Love goes beyond even that: you must not even feel the pain of the affliction as you contemplate the Beloved. Remember the ladies of Egypt who felt no pain when they cut themselves with knives as they contemplated Joseph's beauty. How much more true then must this be as we contemplate God!"

Inspired by: Sufi Women by Javad Nurbakshsh
Notes: This story is on p. 44 of the book. You can find out more about Rabia of Basra and about Hasan of Basra at Wikipedia. In the original anecdote, Rabia is carrying on a discussion with Hasan of Basra, Malik Dinar, and Shaqiq of Balkh, but I changed it to just be with Hasan. The legend of Joseph and the ladies with their knives belongs to the cycle of stories about Joseph and Zuleikha: when Zulkeikha invited her friends to dine with her, they were so taken with Joseph's beauty that they cut themselves with their knives but did not realize it. You can read more about the Joseph and Zuleikha tradition at Wikipedia.

(Zuleikha's party)

The Bedouin and his Dog

A Bedouin sat weeping beside the road.
"What's wrong?" asked a passerby.
"I am weeping for my poor dog, who is dying here," said the Bedouin, pointing to his dog. "He's an excellent dog, my guardian and companion."
"What is he dying of?" asked the passerby.
"Of hunger I suppose," said the Bedouin.
"But you have a bag full of food there! Why don't you feed the dog?"
"Because I have a long road ahead, and it takes money to buy food, while tears cost nothing."
This man is like Joseph's brothers: he weeps, but his heart has no love.

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in More Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 137 in the book.

Zulaikha and the Prison Guard

Because of Zulaikha, Joseph had been imprisoned.
She commanded the prison guard to strike Joseph fifty times. "I want to hear him cry out!" she said.
The guard pitied Joseph. "I will beat this animal skin," he said, "while you cry out."
But Zulaikha was suspicious. "Hit him harder!" she told the guard.
The guard told Joseph that Zulaikha would wonder if there were no marks on his body. "Brace yourself!" said the guard, and then he began to really beat Joseph.
Joseph screamed, and when Zulaikha heard his cries this time she said, "Ah! That now sounds very real!"

Inspired by: The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, translated by S. C. Nott
Notes: This is in section 37: Joseph and Zulaikha. You can read more about Joseph and Zulaikha ("Potiphar's wife") at Wikipedia.

Jacob and the Name of Joseph

When Jacob thought his son Joseph was dead, he couldn't stop weeping. He repeated Joseph's name endlessly.
The angel Gabriel appeared. "What has happened to your faith? If you say Joseph's name again, you will no longer be counted among the prophets."
"I repent," said Jacob. He no longer spoke Joseph's name, but he repeated it in his heart.
One night Jacob saw Joseph in a dream. He obeyed the command not to speak Joseph's name, but he beat his breast and sighed.
Gabriel appeared again. "You didn't say Joseph's name, but with that sigh you have undone your repentance."

Inspired by: The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, translated by S. C. Nott
Notes: This is in section 12: Story of Jacob.

A Gift for Joseph

Joseph welcomed a childhood friend to his palace.
"How you've prospered!" exclaimed his friend. "Despite your jealous brothers."
"I was like a lion bound with a chain," replied Joseph. "The chain brings no shame; a lion is always a lion. The moon wanes, and then it waxes. It is always the moon." Joseph smiled. "And I see you've brought me a present!"
The friend said shyly, "I could think of nothing worthy to offer you, so I offer you this picture of your own beauty." He held out a mirror. "Please remember me when you gaze upon your face there."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 13 in the book.